In the News
Cartwright: Homeland Security subcommittee approves $45.8M for Law Enforcement Officer programTimes-Leader
LUZERNE COUNTY, PA ,
July 31, 2024
Executive Director Carl Beardsley said the airport is thankful to Cartwright and his staff for all of there hard work on this issue.
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright sent a letter on May 3 to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, urging them to fully fund the TSA Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Reimbursement Program at $42.7 million. Cartwright’s office notified Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce of the letter. “After the Congressman made that appeal in his Homeland Security Appropriations request letter, the House Homeland Security Subcommittee did include language Appropriating $45,868,000 for the program,” said John P. Blake, District Director/Economic Development Specialist for Cartwright. “There is no way, at this point, for us to know if the U.S. Senate will agree to that, however, so the funding isn’t yet assured — but at least we have one step in the right direction in the U.S. House Appropriations process.” At last Thursday’s meeting of the Bi-County Airport Board, Walter Griffith, Luzerne County Controller, expressed concern about the LEO program that provides security at the airport’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) station. Griffith said Luzerne County has been paying $12,000 per month to staff an officer at the airport since the federal funding for the program was discontinued. Read more here. |